Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-11-11
Ne H. 80 Qnestione.

Senator William NJ Evarts, of New
York says truly that the three great
ques tons that have the most promin-
ence IN the popular thought of this
country at the present time are those Of
'slabOr temperance and taxation. IS
These are indeed the only public ques-
tons that are now much thought Of or
discussed by the people of the entire
country and neither the politicians
or the press can ignore them or treat
them lightly.
FIrst-Lab2r has its rights. 1t is the
source Of the very life of our business
activities, and the very foundation and
inspiration of our material prosperity
as a-peOple and a nation. True is it
that ''the labOrer is worthy of his hire, -
no matter in what department Of hui
man industry he labOrs and the gener-
al public can not afford to be indiffer-
ent to his interests. While, as In all
other departments Of trade and af-
fairs, the law Of demand and supply
must, in the long run, decide the ques-
ton Of wages yet the lawmakers and
the employ ers of the iabOrer must not
fail 20 deal generously and fairly with
the wage-earner. Indeed he will not
submit to wrong or injustice. He has
discovered that the WOrkingmen are
not only a power in the land numeri-
callys but an indispensable factor in
every problem that relates to our indus
trial, commercial, financial and even
social system. He is asserting his
rights and demands his share of the
benefits of mis- industry and a recOgni-
eaton OF his claims as an important
element of our population. Sometimes
he may ask too much, or occasionally
he may OVerestimate his claims, but
when the actual value Of his service
shall be intelligently examined, it will
be found that, as a rule he is reason
able in his ideas and just in his de-
mands. Like all other men who have
something to sell, he wants to sell his
work, which is his chief stock in trade,
for what it is really worth to the buyer
in the market-th that is, to the employer
OF labor. And as citizen, ne also de-
mands that society shall respect him as
one Of the most useful members, and
that the laws shall duly protect his
interests as against the capitalist. at
whose untender mercy he too often
finds himself. The labor question,
when viewed in the light of equal and
exact justice on both sides, is easy of
solutOn-and that employer, politician,
statesman or legislature who fails to view
1t IN this light makes grave mistake
and does Il serious Injustice.
Second regards the temperance
question: 1t can hardly be counted as
secondary to any other social or politi-
cal subject now engaging popular at
tentlOn. The evils OF the liquor traffic
are apperant to all sane minds, and no
friend of morality or of the general
well-being can shut his eyes to their de-
mOrahzing influence. Thoughtful peo-
pie OF all classes are rapidly coming to
the conclusion that the liquor traffic
must be either greatly and effectively
restricted or entirely wiped out of eX-
lstence. That the great political battle
against the tarfiic and the abuse of in
/ tOXicatiOn has begun in downright ear
nest in all portions of the country, is
too patent to be blinked at either by
the politicians or the social economist.
The conflict Is raging and it will not
end until the monster vice of the nation
shall have been either suppressed or eff
fectiVely shOrn of its power Of evil.
Ihird-The question of taxation is
one Of the pocket. Every citizen is, to
a greater or less extent, individually
/ affected by it. As a rule, our local
taxes are too high, but every commun
/ ity has it in its power TO keep down ex
| penditures and diminish the consequent
/ taxes; and the government revenues
/ need to be reduced to tighten national
| burdens, How this reduction can be
/ best made without Unjust or hard ship to
/ any class of citizens or to any industrial
or commercial interest is the problem
to be solved. The paincipal of s. the
| greatest good to the greatest number
IS probably a good one to be adopted,
and yet the principle is not always
/ right or just in practical effects. But
the people will sooner or later insist
upon relief from burdens that are too
heavy to be borne with patience. The
1 pOlitians and the statesmen can not
/ find a more timely or more pertinent
| subject for study than this
Politicians, editors and refOrmers-
those with hobbies and those having
none-must prepare to meet these
three great living and pressing issues.
! They are the leading public questions
both Of the present and the tuture.-
u